AZ Capital—LD7 Rep. Walt Blackman (R) started the Fifty-Seventh Legislature by proposing a vital bill that criminalizes the impersonation of Arizona Veterans and includes penalties for exploiting Veteran Status.
Rep. Blackman held a press conference at the Arizona Capital on January 5. He was joined by several Veterans, including MSgt Jack Dona (Retired), the son of MSgt Orlando Dona, whom the bill honors.
“It is a profound honor for my family to see this bill named after my father, Orlando Jose Dona, MSgt, USAF (Retired). My father bravely fought in the Korean War and the Vietnam War, receiving the Bronze Star, the Air Force Commendation Medal, and numerous other accolades. This bill represents a strong commitment to uphold the dignity and honor of the courageous men and women who have served our country, shielding them from those who seek to exploit their sacrifices. I earnestly urge everyone to support this bill as it moves through the Arizona State House and Senate, hoping for unanimous bipartisan backing to ensure its passage,” said MSgt Jack Dona (Retired).
During the press conference, Rep. Blackman stated that he developed the Stolen Valor legislation to avoid the legal issues that led to the U.S. Supreme Court striking down a similar federal law in 2012, deemed a violation of free speech rights under the First Amendment. He explained that individuals could face imprisonment only if they profited from deliberately misrepresenting their military service.
Rep. Blackman said, “It’s an issue of identity theft. The victims are all those who actually have served and have been awarded special medals and other designations, whose service is diluted by those who falsely make such claims.”
HB2030 states a person who commits the crime of impersonating a Veteran of the United States Armed Forces if they knowingly pretend to be a Veteran and do any of the following to trick others into believing they have official authority or to rely on their false claims. Pretending to be a Veteran to get a job, secure government contracts, influence votes, gain campaign contributions or political advantages, or claim Veteran benefits like health care, education, or disability compensation.
The legislation would also make it a crime to wear or display any unearned military award, ranging from the Medal of Honor, the Distinguished Service Cross, the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star, and more.
Rep. Blackman served Honorably in the United States Army as a tank commander and earned the Bronze Star for meritorious acts in battle while serving in Iraq.
“Every Veteran in the United States, the half a million Veterans here in Arizona, we are all victims when somebody steals our valor. You are also looking at the family members left behind, Gold Star families, when somebody said they did something in combat when they did not,” said Rep. Blackman.
HB2030 would make impersonating a Veteran a Class 4 felony, which carries a presumptive 2 1/2-year prison term. Additionally, the bill provides for a Class 2 felony, 5 years in prison if the value of the benefit they were seeking is worth at least $50,000. Anyone convicted under that part of the statute would have to serve at least 85% of their sentence before they were eligible for parole.
“If a person wants to walk around and look like George S. Patton, that’s their business; however, if they say, ‘I want to be in office’ or ‘I need this contract’ because I am George S. Patton, but they’re not, then they have committed a crime,” said Rep. Blackman.
Rep. Blackman remarked, consider if someone tells voters he or she was deployed to Vietnam when the military records show otherwise.
Although Rep. Blackman did not mention Steve Slaton, his previous opponent in the LD7 State House race, it rang some bells.
Steve Slaton claimed he worked as a co-pilot on a Cobra helicopter, serving in Vietnam and Korea. However, the DD-214 obtained does not mention any service in Vietnam; he was listed as serving in Korea.
Read our investigative story on Slaton: AZ House candidate misrepresented military service | Locals sound alarm.
HB2030 is not retroactive and will only go into effect when the governor signs the bill. However, federal law can be used in some cases. HR258, the Stolen Valor Act of 2013.
“Today marks a historic occasion for all veterans and military retirees. I am grateful for the tireless efforts of dedicated individuals in the media and independent organizations like the Guardians of the Green Beret that gave this issue a spotlight,” said MSgt Jack Dona. He continued with a plea to all claiming false Veteran status to stop.
The bill will be passed through the Arizona House, then to the Arizona Senate, and hopefully to the Governor’s desk.
